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Four lanes of the Auckland Harbor Bridge could be closed for weeks after it suffered structural damage following a truck accident.
Two trucks were caught in a 127-kilometer-per-hour gust of wind around 11.10 a.m. Friday.
One of the trucks flipped over, while the other flew sideways, hitting the bridge’s superstructure, before straightening out.
The overturned truck belonged to Castle Parcels courier service. General manager Michael Claydo said the driver was taken to the hospital for a checkup and was “shaken” but not seriously injured.
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* Chaos on Auckland Harbor Bridge: overturned truck causes traffic jams on motorways
NZTA / Supplied
The central four lanes of the Auckland Harbor Bridge could be closed for weeks, leaving only two lanes in each direction in operation.
The incident caused traffic on the north highway to jam well into the afternoon.
New Zealand Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) senior travel manager Neil Walker said the second truck fell off a steel stud when it hit the bridge.
The bridge is expected to see a significant reduction in capacity over several days and possibly weeks, with only the two outer lanes open in each direction.
“Our first assessment of structural damage is that a permanent repair will be a long-term process and the four lanes along the central span of the bridge will be closed to traffic for at least several days and possibly weeks,” Walker said.
Supplied
Structural damage to the Auckland Harbor Bridge could cause all four center lanes to be closed for weeks.
The NZTA is investigating whether a temporary repair is possible, however this will not be known until the weekend.
Walker added that there are no concerns regarding the overall integrity and safety of the bridge.
“Congestion on the road network is inevitable as we assess the damage and necessary repairs.”
On average, more than 170,000 vehicles cross the bridge on weekdays.
The NZTA recommended that Auckland residents avoid the bridge by working from home or taking an alternative route, such as the Western Ring Route (SH20, SH16 and SH18).
The northern busway is not affected, Walker said.
“Waka Kotahi understands that this will cause inconvenience and disruption and thanks the drivers for their patience. We are working to ensure that the bridge can be operational again as soon as possible. “
Chris McKeen / Stuff
A 127km / ph wind gust blew a truck off the Auckland Harbor Bridge on Friday, causing hours of stagnant traffic on the Northern Highway.
